Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Black & White.

He sat calmly across from her at a linen-covered table, as she spoke to him with the widest smile he had ever seen. She had barely touched her lunch, as she had been carrying the conversation since they sat down. She recounted to him tale after tale; each with a continuous theme.

"I am in love," she plainly stated, with a sigh of contentment. It sounded different coming from her lips this time. Her smile reminded him of when he first met her and how young they once were. Her hair had fallen into her face and his instinct told him to brush it back, as he always had before. And her eyes were charged with such an electricity that he was sure it could be seen from across the room. "I am sorry. Is this too much?" she nervously interrupted his thoughts.

"No, not at all," he found himself quickly saying. They sat in a silence that seemed to linger, as he deciphered which of his thoughts to divulge and which to save for himself. "I am happy for you. I am happy that you are have found someone to love," he finally spoke, slowly and deliberately. He never thought he would be saying those words and meaning them - not to her anyway.

"Thank you. That is all I need to know," she gushed, with a smile and a sigh.

The woman he had always loved was in love with someone else. Yet, he found himself at peace as he listened to her. Their complications had died out long ago; it was now quite simple. She was loved, she was happy and she was safe. He would always love her. And these were the only things he needed to know.

As he listened to her stories of happiness, he concluded to himself that true love is not always so black and white.